EA has updated its list of Service Updates, revealing multiplayer servers that are hitting end-of-life (thanks Polygon). They say such decisions are never easy, explaining: "We would rather our hard-working engineering and IT staff focus on keeping a positive experience for the other 99% of customers playing our more popular games. We hope you have gotten many hours of enjoyment out of the games and we appreciate your ongoing patronage." They also announce a change for their free-to-play games, saying they will all begin using the same virtual currency called "Play4Free Funds," a name which may strike users as ironic when they pay for them. There are only a few PC titles impacted: The Sims 2 for PC/MAC and TheSims2.com will shut down on January 14, FIFA Soccer 11 for PC and consoles will conclude on January 11, and FIFA Manager 11 for PC ends on January 3.

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Smellfinger wrote on Jan 1, 2013, 12:00:The general principle is offensive because it's a contagion that has infected the industry as a whole. It's not a phenomenon that is localized to EA.

I find the idea that the players don't care pretty silly too, people say "no one cares" without any real proof of it, they just assume that's the case because its an old game that they do not personally care about. It's a lot harder for a smaller pocket of people to get a Reddit protest going or something but the idea that they don't matter is fucking offensive, they paid the same amount of money for their copy. Not everyone wants to run the upgrade train every time a new version comes out. I have a ton of old games in my library that I revisit over the years and it would really bum me out not to be able to just because Corporate Funbux wants to maximize its bottom line. Why should I as a gamer be understanding or care about shitty corporate practices? It's amusing to me how poorly people value their own consumer buying power and rights these days. "Oh whoops no biggie I dont play that game anymore". Gaming isn't just a small time hobby, it's a serious industry now and these things do matter in the long run.

Shutting off multiplayer of a 2+ year old sports title that no one plays anymore is not this big end of the world deal some of you are crying about.

Yeah it is actually a big deal, as people have explained to you a few times already. You can choose not to care but it's going to directly impact you all the same. A business has every right to make money but when financial concerns trump both creative goals and reasonable consumer ownership then I think we've got a problem. So yeah people will hopefully vote with their wallet but they should also make as much noise on forums, email, whatever as possible.

Also the idea that this is a working business model that people should just accept is flawed logic, many gaming publishers aren't even in the black these days. It's certainly a business model but whether its sustainable in the long run without consumer fatigue from the upgrade cycle remains to be seen.